Friday, August 5, 2016

I miss uniforms. . .

Uniforms, not the military type, that told you what people do. . or did.
The other night while attending a school open house, several scout type organizations and booths, trying to get new kids to join were set up.
And not one, adult or child, wore their uniform completely. They wore just enough of the uniform to make it clear who they were, but that was it.
Now, while that has been a pet peeve of mine for a while, it goes much deeper than that.
For me it is a matter of respect for the job or organizations one belongs to. First impressions and all.


Even in my own profession, mailman, carriers that are given uniform allowances rarely where the uniform as it should be worn.
And the one's that don't have uniforms, I won't even go into how they dress.

And what does this have to do with Sherlock Holmes?

Well, it kinda got me thinking about uniforms of occupations during Holmes' era.


Holmes often, most of the time to Watson as a seemingly parlor trick, discribes someone's occupation by their appearance as they walked by.


The type of apron or jacket one wore could often tell what one did. Sometimes it was the cut of said garment, or maybe even the direction of the stripes on the apron.


Most of the time these distictions were had probably come about for a practical reason like safety or function.


But many times these uniforms came about as a way to tell one occupation from another.


For may reasons; weather, safety, changing trends, the need to look nice for happy hour after work, uniforms have changed and evolved, or maybe disapperared all together.

Would the modern Sherlock be able to make correct observations on our appearance today?
Or do we all wear the same uniform of casualness today?
Don't even get me started on how parents dress to go meet their kids teachers now a days!
I know dear, I am sounding like an old man.



What were some of the uniforms described in the Canon?


3 comments:

  1. I work night shift at the P.O., and you should see how people are dressed! Or maybe you shouldn't.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I work night shift at the P.O., and you should see how people are dressed! Or maybe you shouldn't.

    ReplyDelete